Autonomy, is that what we really want? @ Fast Flow Conf NL

There has been a focus on autonomy in information technology, From autonomy in code, autonomy while coding, and autonomous systems with microservices to autonomous high-performing teams. When you read Daniel Pink's research in the book Drive, it makes sense; autonomy is one of the three things that motivate us; it is the ability of the person to make their own decisions. However, often autonomy can lead to isolation and disconnect from the rest of the code, team, or organisation. So, how can we balance the individual needs while staying connected to the team/organisation to stay autonomous?

In this talk, we will go through all the levels we deal with in IT, from code to organisation collaboration. We will go into autonomy at each level and explain how we often confuse autonomy with individual needs. These individual needs can become isolated and disconnected from the code, team and organisation. Through examples, we will show how our compulsiveness towards autonomy gives us both downsides of being isolated and coupled in the code within the team and organisation. You will leave the talk knowing how polarity management can help you manage this paradox between the individual and the team/organisation and get the benefits from the whole and the individual to be balanced.

Transcript

1. Autonomy, is that what we really want? What we really really want? @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
2. @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
3. Autonomy, as described by Mr. Pink, is the urge to direct one's own life. Without the ability to control what, when, and how we work, and who we work with, we'll never be completely motivated to complete a task @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
4. Autonomy can be compulsive Photo by Viktor Mui on Flckr @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
5. Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
6. http://ueberproduct.de/ep-22-​ jabe-​ bloom-​ marc-​ burgauer-​ designing-​ systems-​ pt-​ ii/ “I hate the word autonomy. ... I think autonomy is individuating. ... The way I hear the word and I think other people hear it – and I might be wrong and other people hear it differently – but the way I hear it is “I have the right to make my own decisions. I have the right to make my own rules.” — Jabe Bloom @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
7. Positive effect from 100% side L Positive effect from 100% side R Negative effect from 100% side R Negative effect from 100% side L Heteronomy Autonomy Polarity map - based on Barry Johnsons work Uniqueness Connectedness Sameness Isolation @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
8. Photo by Martin Rancourt on Unsplash Autonomy on several levels of scope > Code > Within teams > Between teams > Organisational @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
9. Autonomy in code No silver bullets and golden hammers Photo by James Harrison on Unsplash @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
10. @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
11. https://martinfowler.com/articles/2021-​ test-​ shapes.html @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
12. Autonomy Purpose Mastery @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
13. The potential of autonomy is only realized when guided by a clear purpose. @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/ User Needs Drives designing 💡Recognizing and deeply understanding the needs of users within a complex business area is paramount for building successful software. This principle underlies Domain-​ Driven Design (DDD).
14. Positive effect from 100% side L Positive effect from 100% side R Negative effect from 100% side R Negative effect from 100% side L Feeling secure to change the code Cascading changes Sociable Solitary Test in isolation Fast feedback on failure Failure of bug in other class Slower feedback on failure Coherent testing No Mocking coupling Cascading changes on mock/stub Loss of "unit of work" cohesiveness Polarity map - based on Barry Johnsons work @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/ Purpose
15. Autonomy within teams Individuals and interactions over processes and tools @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
16. Like me, please Photo by Judith Prins on Unsplash @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
17. Autonomy IS NOT dictatorship Photo by GR Stocks on Unsplash @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
18. @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
19. @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
20. Positive effect from 100% side L Positive effect from 100% side R Negative effect from 100% side R Negative effect from 100% side L Always in a releasable state Bugs, Bugs, Bugs Trunk based Actions/heuristics Signals/observations Signals/observations Actions/heuristics Branch Polarity map - based on Barry Johnsons work Freedom Individual creativity Care for the whole Shared mental model in code team effort Loss of cohesive mental models Excessive conformity Compete to change the same code When this happens we need to take action Ensemble/mob or pair programming @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
21. Autonomy between teams The “Ivory Towers” Photo by Product School on Unsplash @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
22. Purpose, user needs & Problems Value stream: All activities a team performs from understanding the purpose & problem to building that solution without being blocked Solution Feedback Stream-​aligned team: Long-​ term design + build + run (STEWARDSHIP) solving business needs/problems with software-​ enriched services in a small, ~stable team of around ~5-9 people Team first! @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
23. Home delivery Fulfillment Team Home delivery ordering Team Takeout app Home delivery ordering Takeout Customer Select products for home delivery Make an order for home delivery Pay For home delivery order Product page Home delivery order page Payment module Home delivery Ordering Track order Orders page Fulfil order Home delivery Fulfillment Legend / Key User Need capability External capability User Depends on Process Software System Stream-​ aligned team Userneedsmapping.com - Based on Wardley Mapping Know ETA before ordering food Which team will own this? @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
24. Home delivery ordering Team Home delivery Fulfillment Team Takeout Customer Flow of change Architecture Enabling Team Facilitating 💡If teams need to constantly be enabled, your enablement will experience High Load and will be blocking! Stream-​ aligned teams are designed to be and granted with autonomy, then criticized for lacking organizational context – a convenient justification for hierarchical control. @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
25. https://amplitude.com/blog/journey-​ to-​ product-​ teams-​ infographic 💡You DESIGN it, you build it and you run it! 1) Agile 2) DevOps 3) Collaborative Software Design @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/ Next wave after DevOps
26. collaborative modelling "A visualization technique to analyze complex and conflict-​ laden decision-​ making processes with all relevant stakeholders and decision-​ makers to create a shared understanding." @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
27. Home delivery ordering Team Home delivery Fulfillment Team Takeout Customer Flow of change Architecture Enabling Team Facilitating Moving beyond 'enabling,' architects should create a platform that offers context-​ as-​ a-​ service. This facilitates standardized, decentralized decisions and collaborative learning through feedback." Home delivery ordering Team Home delivery Fulfillment Team Takeout Customer Flow of change Platform team To Be Architecture Xaas @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
28. Intrinsic load for modern Stream-​ aligned Team should be enabled by architects @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
29. Positive effect from 100% side L Positive effect from 100% side R Negative effect from 100% side R Negative effect from 100% side L Agency Ivory tower silo's Collaboration Actions/heuristics Signals/observations Signals/observations Actions/heuristics Isolation Freedom Team Creativity Work ahead of new technology Uniqueness Connectedness synergy of the whole Care for the customer Loss of equality Isolation Selfish Sameness High cognitive load Excessive comformity @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
30. Autonomy in organizations A continuous negotiation Photo by Mike Kononov on Unsplash @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
31. Vision, boundaries, or both? Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
32. So, who calls the shots now? Photo by Tingey injury on Unsplash @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
33. "We gave them autonomy. Why aren’t they doing anything with it?" Photo by Lucas van Oort on Unsplash @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
34. When there’s autonomy everywhere, do we still need managers and architects? Photo by Miguel a Amutio on Unsplash @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
35. Positive effect from 100% side L Positive effect from 100% side R Negative effect from 100% side R Negative effect from 100% side L Agency-​ Enabled Teams Indecisiveness and blocked in flow Centralised decisions Actions/heuristics Signals/observations Signals/observations Actions/heuristics Decentralised decisions Empowering teams Spontaneuous Teams acting decisively Empowering the organisation Organisation can coordinate Organisation acting decisively Everyone feels included Organisation cannot coordinate FOMO and feeling left out Burden of consequences for mistakes Disempowering the teams no creativity or spontaneous Lack of team accountability queues and wait time @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/ Blockers to flow
36. Patterns of autonomy and isolation are fractal. If you find one at one layer, you can bet you can find the same at other layers as well. Photo by Martin Rancourt on Unsplash @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
37. Autonomy, is that what we really (really) want? > Define and negotiate boundaries continuously > Manage polarities with polarity mapping > If all else fails, eat some Bossche Bollen @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/
38. @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/ It empowers individuals and teams, yet risks fracturing us into 'us vs. them'. Will we allow this polarity to define us, especially as we pursue fast flow? Let's actively reshape the narrative: Celebrate difference, cherish equality, intentionally build 'us AND them', and actively seek our shared needs! The paradox of autonomy:
39. Leave the judging to the cats @kenny_baas Independent software consultant, tech lead, and software architect @EvelynvanKelle Behavioral change consultant https://collaborative-​ software-​ design.com/ @kenny.weave-​ it.org /in/kenny-​ baas/ /evelynvankelle/